4.WHAT IS HOT AND COLD RENT IN GERMANY?
Hot rent in Germany (Warmmiete) consists of cold rent + utilities (Nebenkosten), i.e. the full amount of rent that the tenant pays. The amount of hot rent is usually of interest to the tenant, as this is the amount he has to pay to the landlord.
Cold rent in Germany (Kaltmiete) is the rent less utilities. The amount of this rent is of interest to the property owner, as he pays the utilities further to the building authority, and the cold rent stays in his hands. From the cold rent the property owner has to pay the services of the building authority (Hausverwaltung) as well as the monthly payments to the community fund (Instandhaltungsrucklage). The amount of these payments differs from house to house.